Pages

Monday, February 13, 2012

Switzerland, Evaluation report quick analysis

As the Armasuisse report is not always perfectly readable I've reproduced the
charts and compiled the general appreciations for both evaluations.
(NWA1 and NWA2)

NWA phase I is the first 2008 evaluation with real flight trials:
The
results show a sharp advandage for the Rafale especially for Escort,
Srike and Recce missions.
The Rafale is also the only aircraft that was able to engage multiple ground targets simultaneously in one pass.
The only mission where the Eurofighter almost
catches up with the Rafale is Air Policing. The Gripen is definitively
not in the same leage as far as Air to Air missions are concerned.
However, we note that it is ranked slightly above the Eurofighter for
Air to Ground and Recce missions.

See
the Swiss Air Force appreciations in the table below. Their final
recommendation in all missions is the Rafale with the Eurofighter as a
possible alternative.

NWA
phase II is the second evaluation conduced in 2009 based on technical
data of 2015 scheduled capabilities provided by the 3 manufacturers. (see upgrades below)

The results and appreciations below :
Again the ranking remains the same with the Rafale clearly in front especially for Strike and Recce missions.

The Swiss Air Force appreciations when the upgrades are taken into account are in the table below. Their final
recommendation in all missions is still the Rafale with the Eurofighter as a
possible alternative.

Each mission effectiveness is an average a several sub-taks effectiveness relevant to the given mission.

The detail sub-task ranking is only available for the Air policing mission (see below)
This
is the mission where the Typhoon is ranked almost as good as the Rafale
due to superior aircraft performance (apparently mainly related to its
high climb rate and capabiliy to supercruise at mach1.4), slightly
better pilot workload (Direct voice Input for recurrent basic tasks
would explain that) and slighly better engagement (which could be
explained by higher altidute/speed/missile max range)

It
is worth noting that the Air Policing mission, although important, is a
quite low risk mission. In more challenging Air to Air task such as OCA
or DCA missions where the target can be highly dangerous and where
ECM/RCS become of primary relevance, the Rafale seems to prevail with a
more comfortable margin.

Judging from the subjective language used in the dispute table, it appears to be something concocted by either Dassault or the Rafale fanboys. On win in India certainly emboldens them both; be advised, much is still at stake.